When it comes to the doctrine behind one’s calling and election being made sure, the highest ordinance of the temple (washing of feet, second anointing), or receiving the second comforter a lot of people think it is a folklore topic left to the old High Priest groups. And if it is a real doctrine, that it is only for the apostles and prophets. I want to testify it is real and that there is no doctrine for only the prophets and apostles. As Joseph Smith taught, “God hath not revealed anything to Joseph, but what he will make known unto the Twelve, and even the least Saint may know all things as fast as he is able to bear them.” (Teachings, p. 149.)
Making one’s calling and election made sure and receiving the second comforter should be the goal, and will be attained, by every member who is willing to strive for it. To illustrate my point I have assembled this collection of quotes regarding this topic. But first, to set the tone, let me share a story:
Back when I was a young single adult, after our Ward Family Home Evening one night, a few of us were still sitting around the campfire and I was sharing stories and quotes about receiving the second comforter and one’s calling and election. When my YSA Bishop walked over to the campfire and started to listen in, I was afraid he would condemn our conversation, but instead, he interjected with a story about the reality of this doctrine.
He shared an experience from back when he was a Stake President when an older widow asked for a blessing. She explained she was worried about her children. He came with the Bishop and gave her a blessing where he told that she had her calling and election made sure, and one day all those blessings would be available to her kids.
After the blessing he apologized and said, “I have no authority to declare that, but it kept coming to my mind.” To which she replied, “It is ok President, I just got back from Salt Lake. I was told to keep what happened sacred and not to talk about it. I just wanted to know that my children would also make it. Thank you.”
At her funeral, two seventies came. After finishing the story my bishop looked into each of our eyes and said, this is true. Everything you’ve talked about tonight is real, you can receive your calling and election, you can receive the second comforter, this is not for the apostles and prophets only, that lady was the wife of a faithful cattle rancher. It is for every member.
The doctrine behind receiving in this life the covenant and assurance of exaltation is not only real, but it is taught throughout the scriptures, and also by modern prophets, apostles, and seventies. I want to share with you a collection of authoritative quotes on the topic of making your calling and election sure, as well as the reality of the second comforter (they come hand in hand). These quotes will highlight how it is not only our right, but also our duty, to strive towards making our calling and election sure and receiving the second comforter in this life.
What exactly is making one’s calling and election sure?
“To have one’s calling and election made sure is to be sealed up unto eternal life; it is to have the unconditional guarantee of exaltation in the highest heaven of the celestial world; it is to receive the assurance of godhood; it is, in effect, to have the day of judgment advanced, so that an inheritance of all the glory and honor of the Father’s kingdom is assured prior to the day when the faithful actually enter into the divine presence to sit with Christ in his throne, even as he is ‘set down’ with his ‘Father in his throne.’ (Rev. 3:21.)
Bruce R. McConkie (Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, Bookcraft, 1973, 3:330–31.)
The Second Comforter: A blessing of receiving your calling and election made sure.
“After a person has faith in Christ, repents of his sins, and is baptized for the remission of his sins and receives the Holy Ghost, (by the laying on of hands), which is the first Comforter, then let him continue to humble himself before God, hungering and thirsting after righteousness, and living by every word of God, and the Lord will soon say unto him, Son, thou shalt be exalted. When the Lord has thoroughly proved him, and finds that the man is determined to serve Him at all hazards, then the man will find his calling and his election made sure. then it will be his privilege to receive the other Comforter, which the Lord hath promised the Saints, as is recorded in the testimony of St. John.”
Joseph Smith (Teachings, p. 150.)
Seeing Christ and God the Father.
“When any man obtains this last Comforter, he will have the personage of Jesus Christ to attend him, or appear unto him from time to time, and even He will manifest the Father unto him”
Joseph Smith (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith,149–51).
Available to all
“If the children of the Lord, which includes all who are upon this earth, regardless of nationality, color, or creed, will heed the call of the true messenger of the gospel of Jesus Christ … each may in time see the Lord and know that he is, as the Lord has promised, then their calling and election will be made sure.“
Harold B. Lee (Conference Report, October 1970 Page 116)
How to pierce the veil and see Jesus.
“I have learned that where there is a prayerful heart, a hungering after righteousness, a forsaking of sins, and obedience to the commandments of God, the Lord pours out more and more light until there is finally power to pierce the heavenly veil. … A person of such righteousness has the priceless promise that one day he shall see the Lord’s face and know that he is.”
Spencer W. Kimball “Give the Lord Your Loyalty,” Ensign, Mar. 1980
Receiving your calling and election, a goal for every member.
“Now there is a lifetime goal—to walk in his steps, to perfect ourselves in every virtue as he has done, to seek his face, and to work to make our calling and election sure.”
Ezra Taft Benson (Do not despair, Oct 1974.)
Removing the sting of death.
One of the notable people who the Prophet Joseph declared had their calling and election made sure was William Clayton. To whom Joseph Smith said,
“Your life is hid with Christ in God, and so are many others. Nothing but the unpardonable sin can prevent you from inheriting eternal life for you are sealed up by the power of the Priesthood unto eternal life, having taken the step necessary for that purpose.” (History of the Church, 5:391.)
William Clayton later went on to write the lyrics of Come, Come ye saints. Including, “And should we die before our journey’s through, Happy day! All is well! We then are free from toil and sorrow, too; With the just we shall dwell!” Growing up these words confused me, but understanding William Clayton had his calling and election made sure, death would have absolutely no sting or fear, he would joyfully be willing to face death knowing that “with the just” he would dwell.
Magnifying our calling.
“The Prophet Joseph Smith used to repeatedly urge the brethren of the priesthood to make their calling and election sure. If we want to do that, we will have to magnify our callings in the priesthood.”
Marion G. Romney (The Covenant of the Priesthood, April 1972).
Becoming a god.
“You have got to learn how to be Gods yourselves, and to be kings and priests to God.”
Joseph Smith (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Deseret Book Co., 1938, p. 346.)
Praying for your calling and election to be made sure.
“I would exhort you to go on and continue to call upon God until you make your calling and election sure for yourselves, by obtaining this more sure word of prophecy, and wait patiently for the promise until you obtain it.”
Joseph Smith (Teachings, p. 299.)
The crowning petition of our prayers should be to make our calling and election sure.
“By way of capstone, covenant, and petition, it would be appropriate for us to choose words that express these thoughts:
And finally, Father, we would be one with thy Son, even as he is one with thee. We seek salvation; we desire eternal life; we long to return to thy presence, and there, sitting down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets and holy men of old, go no more out forever.
Let us see the face of thy Son while we dwell here as mortals. Let us hear him say: Come ye blessed of my Father; ye shall enter into the joy of thy Lord; thy calling and election has been made sure; thou art a joint-heir with me, and shall yet receive, possess, and inherit all that my Father hath.
And now, O our God, thou Everlasting Elohim, knowing thy mind and will with reference to all these expressions of thanksgiving and all these petitions for blessings, we covenant before thee that we will keep thy commandments and love and serve thee all our days.
Let this, then, be our covenant, that from this hour we will walk in all thy ways, blameless, obedient, faithful, true to every trust, having love one for another, testifying in word and in deed that we are thy people, the sheep of thy pasture, thine elect and chosen children.
Language along these lines sets forth feelings and desires that well might be expressed to the Lord in prayer.
It is my faith that all who join in such choruses of praise and petition, of adoration and thanksgiving, and who strive to live as they pray, will gain peace in this life and eternal life in the world to come.”
Bruce R. McConkie (Patterns of Prayer, April 1984).
It is one of the Blessings of the Priesthood.
“We have power to make our calling and election sure, so that while we yet dwell in mortality, having overcome the world and been true and faithful in all things, we shall be sealed up unto eternal life and have the unconditional promise of eternal life in the presence of Him whose we are.
Our revelations say: ‘The more sure word of prophecy means a man’s knowing that he is sealed up unto eternal life, by revelation and the spirit of prophecy, through the power of the Holy Priesthood.’ (D&C 131:5.)
During the latter years of his ministry, in particular, the Prophet Joseph Smith pleaded fervently with the Saints to press forward in righteousness until they made their calling and election sure, until they heard the heavenly voice proclaim: ‘Son, thou shalt be exalted.’ (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 150.)
He himself became the pattern for all such attainment in this dispensation, when the voice from heaven said to him: ‘I am the Lord thy God, and will be with thee even unto the end of the world, and through all eternity; for verily I seal upon you your exaltation, and prepare a throne for you in the kingdom of my Father, with Abraham your father.’ (D&C 132:49.)”
Bruce R. McConkie (The Ten Blessings of the Priesthood, Oct 1977).
A word of warning.
“And what is that life-giving purpose, that goal toward which we should all be striving? It is the gospel of Jesus Christ as restored to man in this great dispensation. It is, of course, necessary that we have the physical necessities of life. It is natural that we should want the things that make life, physical life, desirable and pleasurable. But if in obtaining such things we neglect those things that are of eternal worth, the spiritual part of life, then we have mistaken the chaff for the wheat of life. We have failed to recognize the eternal purpose of our existence. We have neglected the cement which is necessary if we are to build a life that will make our calling and election sure—yes, eternal life in the presence of our Heavenly Father.”
Joseph Anderson (Strength of the Spirit, April 1974)
Anyone who is willing can obtain.
“I know that everyone who, following the whisperings of the Spirit, develops faith, is baptized, and receives the Holy Ghost through the laying on of hands by those having authority, may, by compliance with the teachings of the gospel, receive the gifts and the power of the Holy Ghost.
And I bear further witness that every such person who, having come this far, will follow the Prophet’s admonition to “continue to humble himself before God, hungering and thirsting after righteousness, and living by every word of God” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 150), may obtain the more sure word of prophecy.
That the Lord will bless all of us priesthood bearers that we will so understand these great truths, that in the end we shall, by making our calling and election sure, enjoy the full light of Christ.”
Marion G. Romney (The Light of Christ, April 1977)
Striving and struggling.
Now a word to those who feel overwhelmed: Back in the fall of 2006 I was overwhelmed struggling with the strength to keep pressing on. That is when I heard a quote I clung to, it was given by Bruce R. McConkie. It brought peace to my soul, but Satan planted doubt when I found the source was just a devotional. I wondered about the authoritative nature of the quote. I prayed to gain a testimony it was doctrine and only a few weeks later while watching General Conference it was then quoted by L. Tom Perry in the Oct 2006 General Conference! It solidified my testimony that it is our direction, not velocity that matters to God.
“Everyone in the Church who is on the straight and narrow path, who is striving and struggling and desiring to do what is right, though [he] is far from perfect in this life; if he passes out of this life while he’s on the straight and narrow, he’s going to go on to eternal reward in his Father’s kingdom.”
Bruce R. McConkie (The Probationary Test of Mortality, devotional address, Salt Lake Institute of Religion, Jan. 10, 1982, 8–9).
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